PARONYCHIACEJ]. 



685 



In dry, stony, or sandy situations, especially near the sea, in Europe, 

 north Africa, and western Asia. Common in Britain. FL summer 

 and autumn. 



II. LITTOKEL. LITTORELLA. 



A single species, distinguished generally from Plantain by the in- 

 florescence, the monoecious flowers, and a 1-seeded, indehiscent fruit. 



1. Common Littorel. Littorella lacustris, Linn. (Fig. 825.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 468.) 



The small perennial rootstock bears 

 a tuft of bright green, narrow-linear, 

 entire radical leaves, from 1\ to 3 inches 

 long. Male peduncles radical, about an 

 inch long, with a single or rarely two 

 terminal flowers, and a small bract lower 

 down. Sepals narrow. Corolla like 

 that of a Plantain, but with small lobes. 

 The stamens, which form the most con- 

 spicuous part of the plant, have slender 

 filaments, full half an inch long, termi- 

 nated by large, ovate anthers. Female 

 flowers concealed amongst the leaves, 

 consisting of a sessile calyx, split into 3 

 or 4 unequal sepals, enclosing a small 

 ovary, with a long, thread-like style. 

 Fruit a small nut. 



In mud and wet sand, on the margins 

 of pools, in northern Europe, extending 



far into the Arctic regions, but chiefly confined to mountains in central 

 and southern Europe. Appears to be widely distributed in Britain, 

 though seldom observed, for it often remains under water without 

 flowering, when its leaves become longer and grass-like. FL summer. 



Fig. 825. 



LIX. PARONYCHIA FAMILY. PARONYGHIACE^E. 



Low herbs, either annual or with a perennial, sometimes woody 

 stock, and annual flowering branches, usually spreading or de- 



